Week in Review : MAJOR EVENTS, IMAGES AND PEOPLE IN ORANGE COUNTY NEWS. : SCHOOLS : Death of Autistic Boy Under Investigation
There were no quick answers about the death of a 14-year-old autistic boy when he was restrained by his teacher at Gill Education Center in Huntington Beach.
Barth Pico, an autistic boy with a low IQ, apparently began misbehaving during a morning bus ride from Fairview State Hospital in Costa Mesa to the school in Huntington Beach, scratching, screaming, pushing and throwing feces.
When he continued misbehaving at the school, his teacher, using procedures that are sanctioned under strict guidelines, swathed his hands in socks, tied a diaper around his head to limit his vision, rolled him in an exercise mat and sat on him.
Pico stopped breathing. He died three days later, and Huntington Beach police launched an investigation last week.
“We can say right now that there are problems with this particular incident in the method of use of the restraints,” Lt. James Walker said. “Obviously, something went wrong.”
Fairview State Hospital officials are cooperating with police in the investigation, but a spokeswoman for the county Department of Education, which runs Gill Education Center, declined to comment.
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